Maryland wins ‘No Child’ waiver

(Astrid Riecken / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)

Virginia and D.C.’s similar requests to ease the law’s achievement requirements were denied.

High schools bring college to students

(Astrid Riecken / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)

As AP and IB courses proliferate, some schools are taking the next step: bringing in instructors to teach actual university classes.

High School Challenge

The Washington Post’s 2012 High School Challenge rankings are out, and small schools that emphasize academic rigor are rising to the top.

Georgetown, George Washington draw commencement controversies

(Bill O'Leary / WASHINGTON POST)

Protests against Sebelius, Slim, show universities’ choice of graduation speaker can be fraught with political risks.

Montgomery class lessons multiplying

(Nikki Kahn / THE WASHINGTON POST)

Teachers, pressured to better juggle disparate student needs, are finding that customized lessons help.

National Education

Justin Bieber’s hilarious commencement

Justin Bieber just graduated from high school school — really — and Ellen DeGeneres staged a hilarious commencement ceremony for him. Watch it here.

What parents say testing is doing their kids

What do parents really think about standardized testing that is forced on their children? Here are the results of an informal poll,

Stop obsessing over parent triggers

(Sarah L. Voisin / THE WASHINGTON POST)

A quiet program of teacher visits in Missouri is improving student learning but getting little attention.

More education news

Ranking D.C.’s schools

H-B Woodlawn tops the list of D.C. schools best preparing students for college. Where does your school rank?

Hamlet, for the LOL crowd

A Silver Spring teacher has a text-messaging take on Shakespeare — and thoughts on Maryland teens.

Auditioning for teachers

D.C. school officials aim for selectivity by requiring prospective teachers to give tryout lessons.

Spotlight on school discipline

Study unmasks myths about school discipline

Those in charge, not students, have more effect on punishment severity levels.

Arlington offers students ‘Second Chance’

The program offers a substance abuse session for teens caught using marijuana or alcohol.

Fairfax scales back discipline policy following suicide

Nick Stuban’s suicide prompts the School Board to veer away from forced transfers.

Recent Videos

Photo Galleries

Police captain’s traffic safety message is personal

Tom Didone had gone to dozens of teen car crashes — and then his son died in one.

National Spelling Bee

Lori Anne Madison, a 6-year-old from Woodbridge, missed her second word on Wednesday and was eliminated in the second round of the National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center at National Harbor.

U.S. Naval Academy grads celebrate

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave the commencement address at the ceremony.

A final farewell to Chuck Brown

Fans, family and friends mourn the death of D.C.’s “Godfather of Go-Go” at an all-day public viewing at the Howard Theatre.

Farm animals attacked in Fairfax

A calf, two goats and a chicken were slashed over the weekend at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon.

Fairfax shelter caters to homeless female veterans

A former Army captain opened the shelter with last fall.

Rolling Thunder descends on Washington

Motorcyclists take part in the annual parade ahead of Memorial Day.

Sweet 15

Thirteen area teenagers mark their quinceañera, a traditional Spanish celebration of a girl turning 15.

Our Washington

Post photographers are sharing their favorite area locations.

More photos